Bedside Manner
by Colorain
Summary: "You’re no good to yourself, the ship, and especially not to her, not right now. Sleep. Please. I will tell you if she changes.”
1. How It Begins

Bedside Manner

The thing about Trance was her ability to not exist-or in fact exist in more than one place at one time. Harper, hard at work doing-well, something, you know how it is with Harper-when Trance suddenly popped up out of nowhere.

"Ow!" said Harper. He had stood up suddenly and hit his head on an overhang.

"Sorry," Trance giggled. Harper wondered how she had gotten in here without his noticing. Sure he could get involved in his-ahem-work, but not _that_ involved. At least, he hoped he wasn't so engrossed that he would miss a cute purple chick pop up behind him.

"Hey, Trance?" he asked. "How exactly _do_ you get up here, anyway?"

Trance smiled. Harper never would stop asking questions. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, he just didn't seem to trust what he didn't know. And he certainly didn't know Trance.

"That's for me to know and you to find out!" Trance said happily. That was something Harper found so intriguing about her: she almost always seemed perky. He had turned back to his work for a quick second to adjust something, and twisted back to ask her about it. "Trance, how come you're always so-"

As much as we'd like some things in life to happen in slow motion, whether it is to savor the moment or to stop it indefinitely, we cannot. Suddenly Harper could see what Trance could not-a mass of wires and metal was dangling precariously above her head. It had probably been jarred loose by his bump, connected only to the main machine by a single wire. As he watched in horror, the wire snapped and the heavy mass fell directly on Trance.

Trance, honestly, for all her purple instincts, didn't have a chance. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Harper was immediately at her side. 

"Trance?" he whispered raspily. "Trance!" He touched the side of her head gently. As he took his fingers away, dazed, he thought _Blue blood. She has blue blood._ He shook his head to clear it. Now was not the time to get panicky. Mustering all his strength, he lifted Trance gently and walked very slowly down to the medical wing.


	2. How It Is

Disclaimer: Sorry, didn't put up the disclaimer on Ch. 1. I don't own anybody. My birthday's coming up very soon, so if you were to sue me, I would just collapse. If you'd like to archive, just ask, ok?

Trance had not woken up. Harper wouldn't have even thought she was alive, except every so often her eyes moved under her pale purple eyelids. He wondered what she was dreaming about. Him, perhaps? He quickly banished the notion. But somewhere in the back of his mind, it nagged at him. Wouldn't it be nice, to inhabit her dreams. Even nicer to inhabit her reality.

Rev Bem appeared quietly behind Harper, but coughed slightly to announce his arrival. He didn't want to startle the boy. Harper hadn't left Trance's side since he had brought her to Medical. It was beginning to show. His eyes had dark circles under them, and his entire body drooped wearily.

"Harper," Rev began gruffly.

Harper turned to look at him. There was pleading in his eyes. It shook Rev. He had never seen Harper look like this-desperation filled his very being.

"Yes?" Harper whispered. His voice was ragged.

"Go get some rest." He saw Harper begin to protest and cut in-"That's a direct order from Captain Hunt. You're no good to yourself, the ship," he glanced at Trance and stifled the shiver that ran over his body "and especially not to her, not right now. Sleep. Please. I will tell you if she changes." Either way, thought Rev, but he decided against saying it aloud.

Harper finally nodded, and painfully brought himself to a standing position. He started to leave, determined not to look back at Trance-it was too painful, and if he looked, he knew he would never be able to leave her-, but stopped.

"Rev?" he asked. His voice cracked from disuse.

"Yes, Harper?" Rev answered.

"Thank you." He put his hands to his face and walked slowly out of Medical.

Rev looked down at Trance and sighed. He started to put his hand to her forehead, but stopped himself. It wasn't the time, and he swore that he would not give her last rites. She was not going to need them, not yet.


End file.
